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Why Choose New Construction Over Resale?

05/22/15

Buying a resale home and tackling all of its years of problems seems so gratifying in the movies. It’s usually reduced to a short, playful montage. A little paint here, a couple nails there, a wrench to some old plumbing, some nods of self approval, and presto – a new home. Break out the blanket and hot cocoa. The reality, however, can be quite different. An old home can be a significant drain on money and time, and let’s face it, some of us just aren’t cut out to operate power tools. Some resale homes are in great condition and require little maintenance, but other houses can require more work. New construction homes are for those of us who aren’t that keen to use our time and energy on finding our inner DIY hero, and understand some of the advantages new homes have over old ones.

Maintenance Costs

A new construction home is, well, new. From the rooftop to the foundation, there is no wear and tear. Just starting at the roof alone, you can begin to pile up the costs with an older home. Different types of shingles have different life expectancies. If the previous owner decided to save a few bucks, you could be left with a pricey reroofing project on your hands. Under the home, a cracked or sagging foundation can cause problems everywhere throughout the home. Bloated floors, cracked walls, and uneven doorways are just a few of the headaches. Another area where costs can pile up are with old appliances. Water heaters, AC units, and furnaces may be overdue for replacement. And, worse, they may be so old that they are no longer under warranty. With a new home, it’s pretty much a guarantee that all of the appliances are not only working properly, but will be covered by a warranty in case they don’t.

Green Materials

New construction homes come with energy certifications covering walls, roofs, windows, doors and even appliance packages. Many resale homes don’t offer certifications because they were built to lower standards — often decades ago before more stringent national standards for energy efficiency were enforced. You can retrofit an older home with new insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, and more efficient AC and electrical systems, but these can be quite costly. New construction homes are already built with modern, efficient materials, which could save you thousands.

Safety Features

New homes come with numerous safety advantages over resale homes. New construction homes must meet stringent fire safety codes by utilizing the latest flame retardant insulation, paint, flooring and other structural elements. New homes also have hard-wired smoke alarms to eliminate unreliable battery-powered ones, and use modern wiring throughout the home with fire resilient coatings. New homes also have better air filtration elements than old ones do, which increases the quality of the air inside for inhabitants. With older homes, safety can be a guessing game. You never know if proper permits were pulled for home remodeling projects to ensure they were completed up to code with proper safety standards. Buying the home of a person who loved weekend DIY projects can be a nightmare in disguise. You could be stuck spending your hard earned dollars on fixing structural weaknesses that could have been avoided by buying new construction.

For those who want to move in and not worry about energy efficiency, maintenance and safety--new construction is the right way to go. If you’re interested in a New Construction home, click here to contact us!

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